The present invention relates in general to cleansing agents and, more particularly, to cleansing agents with excellent lathering which are highly effective for removing makeup.
Cosmetic makeup is conventionally removed from the skin by cleansing foams and facial cleansing gels incorporating surfactants as main ingredients, and cleansing oils.
Cleansing foams and facial cleansing gels use the detergency of surfactants to remove makeup cosmetics containing silicone resins. These cleansing agents have the advantage of neatly cleaning in addition to their excellent lathering, but the makeup removal is insufficient.
Although cleansing oils dissolve the coats of makeup cosmetics and are excellent for their cleaning effects, they have had a problem in failing to leave the skin with a refreshing after-wash feeling. Conceptually, these problems could be overcome by combining oils with formulations containing surfactants, since silicone resins contained in makeup cosmetics are soluble in oils. However, in general, oils are insoluble in water, and surfactants are used to solubilize and emulsify these oils. Thus, this approach to solving these problems results in cleansing agents having poor lathering and lacking refreshing feeling.
As a result of extensive studies on these problems, it has been unexpectedly discovered that cleansing agents combining surfactants with certain polyoxyalkylene dicarboxylic acid esters are surprisingly effective for makeup removal with excellent lathering, and can be completely washed out.
An object of the present invention is to provide cleansing agents which are highly effective for makeup removal with excellent lathering, and which can be neatly and completely washed out.
It has been unexpectedly discovered that these objects can be achieved with cleansing agents comprising surfactants and polyoxyalkylene dicarboxylic acid esters represented by the following formula (1): 
Wherein R1 and R2 are hydrogen, or straight or branched chain alkyl groups having from 1 to 4 carbon atoms; m, n, X and Y are integers of from 0 to 5 and are not all concurrently 0; and R3 is a straight or branched chain alkylene group having from 0 to 10 carbon atoms.
According to the present invention, the polyoxyalkylene dicarboxylic acid ester is preferably diethoxyethyl succinate.
Additionally, the present invention provides a cleansing agent, wherein the cleansing agent is a makeup remover.
The present invention is described in further detail hereinafter.
Polyoxyethylene dicarboxylic acid esters of the above chemical formula (1) used herein is a known compound, but a novel combination of components are used as cleansing agent ingredients according to the present invention.
In the above formula (1), R1 and R2 represent straight or branched chain alkyl groups having from 1 to 4 carbon atoms, but when the number of carbon atoms is 5 or more, the cleansing agent has poor lathering due to lack of hydrophilicity. The symbols m, n, X and Y represent integers of from 0 to 5, preferably of from 1 to 2. When the sum of m, n, X and Y represent 0, the cleansing agent has poor lathering due to lack of hydrophilicity, and when the sum of m, n, X and Y is over 15, the cleansing agent has poor makeup removal due to poor solubility of the makeup cosmetics. R3 represents a straight or branched chain alkylene group of 0 to 10 carbon atoms. When R3 has 11 or more carbon atoms, the cleansing agent has poor lathering due to lack of hydrophilicity.
When the polyoxyalkylene dicarboxylic acid ester of the above formula (1) is diethoxyethyl succinate, the resulting cleansing agent is highly effective for makeup removal with excellent lathering.
The combined amount of polyoxyalkylene dicarboxylic acid ester is not limited in any way, but is preferably from 0.1 to 10% by weight, more preferably from 1 to 10% by weight, and most preferably from 3 to 5% by weight based upon the total weight of the cleansing agent. When the combined amount of the polyoxyalkylene dicarboxylic acid ester of formula (1) is less than 0.1% by weight, the effects of the invention are low and not fully realized, and when the amount is more than 10% by weight, the effects of the invention cannot be exerted due to its separation from water.
The type of surfactant which can be used in the present invention is not limited if the surfactant is generally used in cleansing agents. Suitable examples of surfactants which can be used include fatty acid soaps such as potassium laurate, sodium laurate, triethanol ammonium laurate, potassium myristate, sodium myristate, and triethanol ammonium myristate.
Suitable examples of anion surfactants which can be used include sodium lauryl sulfate, polyoxyethylene alkyl ether sodium sulfate, sodium alkyl xcex2-alanine, sodium sulfosuccinate, acylmethyl taurine, sodium alkylethane sulfonate, and polyoxyethylene alkyl ether sodium carboxylate.
Suitable examples of cation surfactants which can be used include stearyl trimethyl ammonium chloride, benzalkonium chloride, and lauryl amine oxide.
Suitable examples of non ionic surfactants which can be used include sorbitan monolaurate, sorbitan monopalmitate, sorbitan sesquioleate, polyoxyethylene sorbitan monolaurate, polyethylene glycol monooleate, polyoxyethylene alkyl ether, polyglycol diester, lauroyl diethanol amide, fatty acid isopropanol amide, maltitol hydroxy fatty acid alkyl ether, alkylated polysaccharide, alkyl glucoside, and sucrose fatty acid ester.
Suitable examples of ampholytic surfactants which can be used include amide propyl betaine coconut fatty acid, amide propyl betaine laurate, and amide propyl betaine myristate.
The combined amount of surfactants is not limited in any way, and is appropriately determined for each product, but is preferably from 10 to 50% by weight, more preferably from 10 to 40% by weight based upon the total weight of the cleansing agent. In a preferred embodiment, the weight ratio of the polyoxyalkylene dicarboxylic acid ester of formula (1) to the surfactant used in the cleansing agent ranges from about 2 to 100, more preferably from 5 to 80%.
The cleansing agent of the present invention means an agent whose purpose is to cleanse the exodermis of the skin to which can be applied cosmetics, medications and quasi-drugs. In particular, the cleansing agent of the present invention is preferably used for makeup removal such as a cleansing cream which removes makeup cosmetics. The formulations of the present invention can take various forms such as aqueous solutions, emulsions or gels.
In addition to the above-described essential ingredients, the cleansing agents of the present invention can be combined with other ingredients which are normally used in cleansing agents for cosmetics and medications, and the cleansing agents of the present invention can be produced by standard methods.
Other suitable ingredients which can be included in the cleansing agents of the present invention are described, by way of example, below.
Examples of suitable oils which can be included in the formulations of the present invention are avocado oil, macadamia nut oil, corn oil, olive oil, rape oil, evening primrose oil, castor oil, sunflower seed oil, tea seed oil, rice bran oil, jojoba oil, cacao oil, coconut oil, squalene, beef tallow, Japanese wax, bee wax, candelilla wax, Carnauba wax, whale wax, lanolin, liquid paraffin, polyoxyethylene (8 mole) oleyl alcohol ether, and glyceryl monooleate.
Examples of suitable higher alcohols which can be included in the formulation of the present invention are caprylic alcohol, lauryl alcohol, myristate alcohol, cetyl alcohol, cholesterol, and phytosterol.
Examples of suitable higher fatty acids which can be included are capric acid, lauric acid, myristic acid, palmitic acid, stearic acid, behenylic acid, lanolin fatty acid, linoleic acid and linolenic acid.
Examples of suitable humectants which can be included are polyethylene glycol, glycerin, sorbitol, xylitol, maltitol, mucopolysaccharide, hyaluronic acid, chondroitin sulfate, and chitosan.
Examples of suitable thickening agents which can be used are methyl cellulose, ethyl cellulose, gum acacia, and polyvinyl alcohol.
Examples of suitable organic solvents which can be included are ethanol and 1,3-butylene glycol.
Examples of suitable anti-oxidants which can be included are butyl hydroxy toluene, tocopherol, and phytic acid.
Examples of suitable anti-bacterial preservatives which can be included are benzoic acid, salicylic acid, sorbic acid, p-hydroxybenzoate ester (e.g., ethylparaben, butylparaben), and hexachlorophene.
Examples of suitable amino acids and their chlorides which can be included are glycin, alanine, valine, leucine, serine, threonine, phenylalanine, tyrosine, aspartic acid, asparagine, glutamine, taurine, arginine, and histidine.
Examples of suitable organic acids which can be included are acyl sarcosinic acid (e.g., lauroyl sodium sarcosine), glutathione, citric acid, malic acid, tartaric acid, and lactic acid.
Examples of suitable vitamin Bs which can be included are vitamin B6 tripalmitate, vitamin B6 dioctanoate, vitamin B2 and its derivatives, vitamin B12, vitamin B15 and its derivatives. Vitamin Cs are ascorbic acid, ascorbate phosphate ester (salt), and ascorbate dipalmitate.
Examples of suitable vitamin Es which can be included are xcex1-tocopherol, xcex2-tocopherol, xcex3-tocopherol, vitamin E acetate, and vitamin E nicotinate.
Examples of suitable other vitamins which can be included are vitamin A and its derivatives, vitamin Ds and vitamin H such as pantothenic acid and pantethine.
Examples of various other suitable agents which can be included are nicotinic acid amide, nicotinic acid benzyl, xcex3-orizanol, allantoin, glycyrrhizinic acid (salts), glycyrrhetinic acid and its derivatives, hinokitiol, mucidin, bisabolol, eucalyptol, thymol, inositol, saponins (psycosaponin, carrot saponin, sponge saponin, sapindaceous saponin), pantothenyl ethyl ether, ethynyl estradiol, tranexamic acid, cepharanthin, placenta extract.
Examples of suitable natural extracts extracted with organic solvents, alcohols, polyhydric alcohols, water and aqueous alcohols which can be included in the cleansing agents of the present invention are sorrel, sophora, nuphar, orange, sage, thyme, milfoil, mallow, cnidium rhizone, swertia herb, Japanese angelicaa root, bitter orange peel, birch, horsetail, sponge gourd, horse chestnut tree, saxifrage, arnica, lily, mugwort, peony root, aloe, gardenia, and Spanish mackerel.
In addition, perfume, scrub agents and purified water and the like can also be included in the cleansing agents of the present invention.
The cleansing agents of the present invention are highly effective for makeup removal with excellent lathering and create a refreshing after-shampoo feeling.